Thumbs up to the generosity of Carol and George Bauer that is making possible a 20,000-square-foot tower for surgery, pediatrics, critical care and women’s health at Norwalk Hospital. Their $15 million gift for the seventh-floor pavilion is the latest tangible example of the couple’s longtime commitment to the hospital. Carol Bauer has been a volunteer and chaplain for 40 years, and together they have donated to establish the Bauer Emergency Care Center, the Jeffrey Peter Bauer Newborn Intensive Care Unit and the Carol Bauer Nursing Scholarship. The hospital, and community, is the better thanks to the Bauers.

Thumbs up to Team 26 led by Monte Frank of Newtown for once again embarking on a 600-mile ride of “peace, hope and love.” The 26 bicyclists left from Main Street Friday and will make several stops before arriving in Pittsburgh Thursday, the site of shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue six months ago. The team began making its annual journey after 26 educators and first graders were shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. Another shooting at a synagogue, in California, Saturday the left one dead and several injured underscores the importance of Team 26’s message.

Thumbs down to survey results that reveal most state prosecutors across the nation do not track data on the demographics of people who are arrested. In the interest of seeking justice for all, it’s somewhat encouraging that a new Connecticut bill would mandate public access to arrest and sentencing data. Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane admits the current paper system means the system operates “like we were functioning in 1942.” State officials should not need a survey to tell them this isn’t acceptable.

Thumbs up to to Stamford and Norwalk setting an example - in more ways than one - by teaming up to pass similar ordinances simultaneously that would ban the use of plastic straws and stirrers. Both cities are also on the verge of launching bans on plastic carry-home bags. The environmental efforts are noteworthy, but we are particularly impressed that officials in the neighboring cities recognized the value of working in tandem to create a louder voice on the issue. More municipalities should do the same.

Thumbs down to state inmates finding a way to make hundreds of untracked phone calls over a three-month period. The concept of stolen calls may seem harmless enough, but they could be used to reach out to victims or to try to arrange for contraband deliveries. At least 500 calls were made with two PIN codes used by technicians to test the inmate phone system before the breach was discovered.

Thumbs down to Connecticut counties drawing an “F” grade for ozone pollution. The American Lung Association’s latest report assessing ozone and particle pollution from 2015-17 cited ozone as the culprit for Connecticut’s worst air pollution. Not surprisingly, Fairfield County was the worst offender within the state, beating out New Haven County. One of the state’s challenges is that it is downwind of power plants in Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia that have neglected to provide ozone-reduction plans.

Thumbs up to the many volunteers who came out Saturday for the Mayor’s Clean City Initiative Spring Cleanup. They picked up litter in places such as the Norwalk River Valley Trail and other sites throughout the city. Roll up your sleeves and have a stake — and responsibility — in keeping Norwalk as pristine as possible.